


Ship and Let Ship: a monologue on shipping wars and domesticity in the Avatar Universe

by orphan_account



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23168473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Kataangers, Zutarians, Zutaraangers and all shippers or non-shippers, let us join hands to stop toxic shipping and accept that people can choose ships based on personal preferences, and that these preferences do not make them more of or less than a person.A comparison between Kataang and Zutara, and how, while you may not agree with my conclusion that they are equally valid, they both deserve a place in the fandom, and cater to different people or even the same people.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 1





	Ship and Let Ship: a monologue on shipping wars and domesticity in the Avatar Universe

While re-watching the series, I got a sense of appreciation for Kataang, ironically when I’m altering things to reflect a slightly more Zutara Dynamic. I have to say, the amount or caring that Katara has for Aang in B3Ch01 is so touching. It’s like watching the Katara heals Zuko scene in Sozin’s Comet, only drawn out over a longer time frame. Being a ship-and-let-ship guy, I really appreciate both ships, though I do find the shortness of the scenes slightly jarring. I guess I had a really short attention span when I was a kid. I am sure that this may piss off some of my die-hard Zutara fans, but I think that both ships have a place in the fandom, and actually complement each other, representing the divergence point of two alternate realities (if you subscribe to the multiverse model). And while I am slightly melancholy that Zutara never happened in Canon (think of the cute steam babies and all the challenges they have to overcome for their respective societies to accept each other’s choices of romantic partner; a chance to let both the water tribe and the fire nation grow out of their historical hatred for another and learn to find common ground, and realizing that the common ground is much larger than you think, and for the chance to see how two headstrong individuals can learn to compromise and make mutual sacrifices thanks to the love they have for each other), I believe that Kataang isn’t bad per se. It’s just the easy way to resolve a romance, where you din’t want to to into the nitty-gritty of fire nation court politics, racism, and war-bred antagonism. No matter which ship, Katara gets a person who knows her, cares for her, and is willing to do anything in their power to keep her safe. Zuko is not perfect. Aang, even being the Avatar, is not perfect. Being Fire Lady would bring out the fighter that was always present in Katara’s psyche, while being the Avatar’s romantic partner brings out her nurturing, motherly side. While the former may allow her to change the world, the latter allows her to be a full-time mother. Even if being with Aang means falling back into the same situation as women in the northern water tribe (seemingly-docile housewife-healers), I can imagine her being happy in it, even if unfulfilled. For the very notion of dismissing domesticity as a career option is insulting to the men and women who choose to do so. Neither man nor women, nor intersex individual, should be looked down upon for their decision to put family above career. Ironically, putting career above family, taken to the extreme, seems to lead to the personality type that befits Fire Lord Ozai.

Also, if you choose not to limit the number of romantic partners, Zuko/Katara/Aang is a really interesting ship. (I am not kidding. I read a Zutaraang fic series called Heartlines and the one about tabloid newspapers is really hilarious.


End file.
